Smokepaw's Choice
by Shadefire of Rainclan
Summary: Smokepaw died on the great journey. Or did he? Smokepaw, left alone and injured in the mountains, meets a huge group of cats, who take him in. As he finally starts to belong somewhere, a cat who has walked in his dreams for moons helps him realize his true destiny. After a shocking death, Smokepaw learns where his heart belongs, with his clan, and with the one he loved all along..
1. Tawnypelt's return

**Yaya! Here it is! This was just sitting around as an idea. But then I considered putting Bluestar in, and it just sprang up into a plot. So here it is! Smokepaw's choice.**

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Smokepaw playfully shoved Talonpaw.

"Come on, you slow lizard! Today's one of our final days of training!"

The two brothers raced out of the apprentices den, toward the fresh-kill pile where their mentors, Oakfur and Rowanclaw had agreed to meet them.

Oakfur motioned them over with his tail. Rowanclaw smiled at them.

"Talonpaw and I, and Oakfur and you, we'll hunt today out by the carrion-place." Rowanclaw paused to fix the apprentices a sharp glare.

"And don't even think about hunting rats yet." Oakfur gave Rowanclaw a friendly shove.

"Stop being so serious!" Oakfur smiled.

"You're hardly moons older than them. And I've seen you and Tawnypelt hang out with them." Rowanclaw gave a sheepish shrug.

"Talonpaw and Tawnypelt are my best friends," Rowanclaw told Oakfur.

Oakfur and Rowanclaw led them out of the ShadowClan camp. Racing after Oakfur, Smokepaw ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Ahead, Smokepaw could see a huge log. Oakfur glanced in his direction.

"When I say 'now', jump as high as you can over the log." Smokepaw nodded. Oakfur, Rowanclaw, Smokepaw, and Talonpaw neared the fallen tree. Oakfur studied the log.

"Now!" He yelled. Smokepaw's feet lurched as he wrenched them out of the mud. Scrambling, he leaped, barely making it as he felt his belly fur brush the log. Panting, he collapsed on the ground. He looked over and saw that Talonpaw wan't faring much better. Rowanclaw and Oakfur were both staring at him, amused. Smokepaw and Talonpaw both got up with embarrassment.

Oakfur gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I remember having trouble with that." Rowanclaw was shaking with laughter.

"I remember that. I was Rowankit. You came back into camp with Boulder, covered in mud and moss scraps. You had leaped to early and landed on the log!" Oakfur rolled his eyes.

"I know. Boulder had to haul me down because I got stuck." Smokepaw laughed, feeling more energetic.

"Hey Rowanclaw, you'll make a good elder! Tawnypelt will start snoring after listening to your stories!" Talonpaw Oakfur, Smokepaw, and Talonpaw were all laughing.

Smokepaw winced as Talonpaw mentioned Tawnypelt. The pretty tortoiseshell she-cat had been gone for over five moons, and Smokepaw and his three younger littermates, Crowkit, Applekit, and Toadkit all missed her terribly.

Rowanclaw fixed a mock glare.

"Is that anyway to talk to your mentor?" Oakfur stood up, smiling.

"Okay, we've all had our fun. Now let's-" His words were cut off as the four cats heard a rumbling coming from the trees. Rowanclaw jumped to his feet, fully alert, and ready to take orders from Oakfur.

"Rowanclaw, Smokepaw, go look at where the noise is coming from. It sounds like a monster, but they usually don't come this close to camp, especially this far from the Thunderpath." Oakfur spoke quickly and urgently to Smokepaw and Rowanclaw, and Smokepaw guessed Oakfur thought it was more than just a monster.

He and Rowanclaw crept stealthily through the marsh, careful not to make any noise. As they pushed their was through the trees and out of the clearing, Smokepaw stared up in amazement. The biggest monster he had ever seen was tearing up the Fourtrees!

"Smokepaw! Go back to camp! Tell Blackstar and Russetfur!" Rowanclaw screeched.

Smokepaw ran across the swamp, the wind pounding in his ears. Comfusion turned to anger as he thought of the monster. How dare they tear up Fourtrees? He ran faster, until he reached camp, panting and out of breath. Smokepaw raced toward Blackstar's den.

Inside, Blackstar and Russetfur were glaring at him.

"What do you need?" Blackstar said angrily. Smokepaw's sides heaved as he spluttered out what he saw. Blackstar's angry glare turned from Smokepaw to Russetfur.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked his deputy.

"Fetch those three and bring them back to camp. I don't want anyone hurt." Russetfur flicked her tail in acknowledgment before tearing out of the den. Blackstar nodded to Smokepaw.

"Go to Tallpoppy. She can get someone to take care of her kits for a few heartbeats." Smokepaw dipped his head gratefully to Blackstar before padding out of the den. Tallpoppy, Smokepaw's mother was waiting for him outside of the nursery.

"Smokepaw!" Tallpoppy looked relieved. Smokepaw's younger siblings came rushing from the nursery like a tidal wave.

"Smokepaw! Smokepaw!" Crowkit squeaked. Applekit bounced up and down.

"Give us a lizard ride!" Tallpoppy shooed her kits back into the nursery.

"Give Smokepaw a break!" She chided. Smokepaw laid his tail onto his mother's shoulder.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tallrock for a clan meeting!" Blackstar yowled the familiar words, and Smokepaw waved his tail in farewell before racing off to the clan meeting.

Smokepaw was relieved to spot Talonpaw, Oakfur, and Rowanclaw in the cluster of cats. Smokepaw sat next to Talonpaw and Rowanclaw.

"I am extremly saddened to announce that Twolegs have destroyed Fourtrees." Blackstar paused as outraged yowls sounded from the crowd.

"But ShadowClan lives on and-" Blackstar eyes widened as he stared towards the camp entrance. Smokepaw turned around is wonder as he heard Rowanclaw gasp.

"Tawnypelt?"

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**Haha! I would say cliffie, but not really because you guys already know what happens. Lolz. And yes, I know that Nightwing is Smokepaw's mother. But I changed that. So too bad.**


	2. Silver, Blue, and White

**Yeah Smokepaw gets love life. Bur he has three love lives in the whole story. Yay. Except one of them dies. Yay. Okay, take one, chapter 2. **

**Disclaimer: *folds arms* Why do I even have to do this? It's a fanfiction sight?**

**Smokepaw: Since Shade refuses to do it, I'll do it so she doesn't get sued. **

**Shadefire doesn't own warriors. Just the characters from The Group. Like Lily. And Flight. But they come into the story later.**

**Me: *shoves Smokepaw* Get out of here! Stop ruining the story! **

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"Um hey Tawnypelt." Smokepaw said nervously.

It had been half a moon since Tawnypelt had returned. Blackstar had announced that they were leaving with the other clans two days ago. Oakfur had promised him and Talonpaw would get their names one moon after the journey ended, and ShadowClan was making preparations for the journey.

Tawnypelt looked up from where she was resting.

"Yes, Smokepaw?" She asked.

"Well, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to come hunting with me tomorrow?" Tawnypelt smiled regretfully.

"I'm sorry Smokepaw, I would love to, but I'm already going hunting with Rowanclaw." Smokepaw scraped his ear on a thorn bush on his way out of camp, but it stung less than Tawnypelt's words.

He never got a moment alone with Tawnypelt! She was always with Rowanclaw. Sullenly, Smokepaw padded out of camp, but was met by Oakfur. "Hunting?" Oakfur asked him. Smokepaw nodded.

"I'd like to talk to you." Oakfur padded after Smokepaw until they were deep in the forest.

"I've noticed that you grew more sullen since Tawnypelt came back. Is something wrong?" Oakfur asked him. Smokepaw nodded. He knew he could tell his mentor.

"It's Rowanclaw!" He said miserably.

"I never get a moment alone with Tawnypelt because he's always with her."

Oakfur raised an eyebrow. "Have ever considered that they might want to be more than just friends?" Oakfur asked him.

Smokepaw nodded dejectedly.

"I wish she liked me instead of Rowanclaw." Oakfur rested his tail on Smokepaw's shoulder.

"You can't force a she-cat to like you, you know. Now go hunting! The clan needs food!" Oakfur smiled as Smokepaw raced off.

Smokepaw returned at Sundown with a lizard and two frogs to add to the fresh-kill pile. He put on an expression of mock terror as he saw Applekit, Crowkit, and Toadkit charging toward him.

z"Attack the ThunderClan warrior, Crowclaw and Toadkill!" Applekit shouted.

"Yes, Applestar!" Crowkit and Toadkit squeaked as they clambered toward Smokepaw.

"Not ShadowClan warriors, they're too strong for me!" Smokepaw said dramatically as he fell down in a mass of kits.

"Talonstar to the rescue!" Talonpaw shrieked as he hurtled himself at the kits. Soon they were fighting a mock battle with the kits, Applestar, Toadkill, and Crowclaw versus Smokestar and Talonstar.

Tallpoppy hurried out of the nursery.

"Kits! Stop! You're going to get hurt!" Tallpoppy called to the kits. Smokepaw smiled inwardly.

"Hey, look Applestar, there's an enemy warrior!" Smokepaw pointed a claw at Tallpoppy.

Applekit put on her fiercest scowl and yowled, "ShadowClan charge!" The three kits chased Tallpoppy around the ShadowClan camp, yelling challenges.

"Come and fight me, fox-breath!"  
"You're just a smelly frog!"  
"You're slower than a lizard!"  
Hapily, Smokepaw headed toward the apprentices den with Talonpaw. Curling into his nest, the sun slowly faded into darkness as the stars of Silverpelt appeared.

Looking fondly toward the nursery, Smokepaw whispered, "Goodnight, Applekit, Toadkit, Crowkit. Never grow old." Then he closed his eyes, and let wondrous dreams fill his vision.

The marshy landscape of the pine forests that Smokepaw knew so well faded away and was replaced by snowy mountains.

Smokepaw looked closer at the snow, and spotted two unblinking green eyes moving toward him, then the faint out line of a cat. A beautiful white she-cat.

"Smokepaw." Her voice was a faint whisper, sweeter than honey, and Smokepaw thought she was more beautiful than the stars. More beautiful than Tawnypelt. He decided.

"Smokepaw, do not grieve when I am gone. There is a beautiful flower, waiting for you, that needs to be picked. Now do not forget my words. The beautiful flower must be picked from the mountain. It cannot survive there while the white bird flies." Then she faded away.

Now Smokepaw was in a luscious starry forest.

"Welcome."

Smokepaw whirled around. A blue-grey she-cat was sitting next to him, her tail wrapped calmly around her paws.

"Smokepaw, remember that you are never alone."

Smokepaw stared at her.

"W-Who are you?" The cat padded closer to him.

"Every star is a warrior of StarClan. But do you know which star is which warrior? Do you need to know? I am you protector, sent to watch over you in your dreams, sent to you by those stars up there."

The starry she-cat waved her paw to the above.

"I am a protector to many cats. If you really wish to know my name, I will tell you. The cats I protect call me Silverpelt. But my real name is Bluestar."

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**See? Told you I would put Bluestar in! R&R!**


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